In 1991, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States, as the sole superpower, began to appear more arrogant. Among them, the 1993 Galaxy incident became a typical case. At that time, the United States claimed that the Chinese freighter "Yinhe" was carrying dangerous biological and chemical weapons raw materials and demanded a full search of it. Although the first round of searches found nothing suspicious, the United States insisted on a second round of searches, prompting Chinese diplomat Sha Zukang to take a memorable lesson in the heat.
The incident sparked widespread outrage and accusations internationally, forcing the United States to admit its mistake and apologize to China. At the same time, this incident also deeply touched China's national dignity and laid the groundwork for China's future rise as a scientific and technological power.
Looking back at this event, the international situation in 1993 is taken against the backdrop. The U.S.-China relationship faces delicate challenges. Although there was a "honeymoon relationship" in the past, with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States no longer needed to actively draw China against the Soviet Union. As a result, the attitude of the United States began to become arrogant.
On July 23, 1993, the Chinese freighter Yinhe sailed to Iran for commercial trade, carrying stationery, hardware and mechanical parts. However, on August 1, the United States suddenly held a press conference claiming that the Galaxy was carrying thiodiethylene glycol and thionyl chloride, substances that could be used to make chemical and biological weapons. U.S. tensions with Iran have led it to never allow Iran to obtain chemical and biological weapons materials.
The basis of the suspicion came from intelligence purchased by the CIA, however, instead of verifying the authenticity of the intelligence, they rushed to request a search of the Galaxy. Such disrespectful behavior is intolerable to Chinese diplomats. According to international maritime rules and Chinese law, China has the right to exercise jurisdiction over its vessels on the premise of fulfilling its international obligations to ensure normal shipping activities. The US move is essentially a serious violation of China's sovereignty.
China's Foreign Ministry sent a delegation led by Sha Zukang to deal specifically with the incident. However, the United States has ignored China's protests and instead has continued to exert pressure, threatening to classify China as an "unfriendly country." Because of U.S. supremacy in international sea power, China eventually agreed to U.S. inspections.
On the morning of 28 August 1993, United States military personnel, accompanied by China, inspected the cargo on board the freighter. They wore heavy protective clothing and even sent an ambulance boat, as if convinced that it was loaded with dangerous chemical weapons. However, the Chinese side was defenseless, confusing the Americans. After a decade-long search, no "chemical weapons materials" were found.
Unwillingly, the Americans made even more excessive demands, hoping to thoroughly search every corner of the cabin. The Chinese saw the U.S. attempt and allowed them to conduct cabin searches. At this point, Sha Zukang took a clever maneuver to get the crew to turn off the fan. The heat inside the cabin was scorching hot, complementing the heat outside, making it unbearable for American servicemen. Americans complained that China was "uncooperative," but Sha Zukang said fan damage was not uncommon in China. In the sweltering heat of the cabin, the Chinese side could not change the mentality of the Americans, and in the end, they left the "Milky Way".
The incident caused widespread protests around the world, condemning the United States for interfering in the normal maritime trade of other countries. The United States had to apologize to the crew of the Milky Way, but it also inspired China to strengthen its naval build-up and lay a solid foundation for the future rise of sea power.